0957: Apparently there has been a car crash at the Labour poster launch, according to the Telegraph's Will Heaven. He tweets that the BBC say it was "caused by some binmen shouting at the PM - and not watching the road".

0955: If anyone can see Nick Clegg on TV right now addressing supporters in Leicester, observe the two cheeky members of the audicence behind him waving "Vote Labour" posters. Hilarious.

0950: Snap from the Press Association: "Thursday night’s final party leader debate drew a peak audience of eight million viewers, according to overnight viewing figures." ITV's debate scored about 11 million.

0947:Sky News reporting about a secret study from Britain's biggest banks who "fear the economy could tip into a double-dip recession due to banking regulation overhaul". Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) carried out the research on behalf of major banks including Barclays, HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland.

0945: Gordon Brown facing the press in Hockley. All the Cabinet are with him.

0940: David Cameron meeting children at a school in Staffordshire with Barroness Warsi. Young student behind the camera looking very shy.

0933: But the Lib Dems seem to think it is a "two horse race" between the Tories and them.

"This is turning into a two-horse race. Unexpectedly, it is between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives," Ed Davey, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, also said on Sky News.

"Those people who want a progressive government who is going to care about fairness, who is going to change Britain for good, should really be looking to the Liberal Democrats."

0930: Douglas Alexander, Labour's election co-ordinator, insists the election remains "wide open" and that Gordon Brown would fight to the end of the campaign.

"He is going to be campaigning the length and breadth of the country in the days ahead," he told Sky News.

"We are going to be fighting from now until the election for every single vote. This election is wide open. Nobody has any certainty how this election will play itself out."

0927: Despite David Cameron trying to "focus" on the campaign, the Tories seem to have a spring in their leader's solid performance in the TV debate. This tweet from Eric Pickles, the party chairman: "Conservative canvassers can go on the knocker with renewed pride: David showed he has the energy/leadership/values to be a great PM."

0923: Is this a bad omen for Gordon Brown and Labour? Very pessimistic tweet from Kevin Maguire, the associate editor of the Labour supporting Daily Mirror. "See Guardianistas predicting Cam in No 10. May be right."

0917: David Cameron tells BBC Radio WM in Birmingham that he is "very focused" on the campaign over the coming week on the next week and that he has to fight for every vote as the election was "still far from won". "If you want real change, if you want to wake up on Friday 7 May with a different government, with a new prime minister, taking the country in a new direction, then please vote Conservative."

* Total number of tweets: 154,342 (+11,546 compared to the second debate)

* Average frequency of tweets: 26.77 tweets per second (+0.1)

* Number of tweeters: 33,095 (+4,305)

* Peak: 51.7 tweets per second (+18.52)

The most tweeted topic was immigration, according to the figures.

Also this little piece of analysis: "While Clegg scored higher, his score dropped the most during the debate, possibly meaning that his performance didn’t match very high expectations".

0847: The Telegraph's hard-working Whitehall editor Chris Hopetweets a series of messagesfrom his train to Birmingham - in what he dubs "Traingate" - that Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, is travelling in first class, while Harriet Harman, the Equality secetary, sits back in second class.... watch this space!

0835: The Evening Standard's Paul Waugh seems to think Peter Mandelson is starting to sound more and more like George Osborne. He tweets that he found it amusing that Mandy used the same phrase "proceeds of growth".

"Tonight Dave pulled the stops out. Maybe he changed his cereal. Maybe he had a pre-match sharpener. Or a nap with Samantha. Whatever it was, it worked."

0751: Lord Ashdown, the former Lib Dem leader, claims that Nick Clegg "won the series" in the three televised leaders' debates. Responding to accusations that Mr Clegg lacked substance when challenged about the details of his party's economic policy, Lord Ashdown said: "He has an absolute mastery of it."

0749: William Hague, the Conservative deputy leader, says Mr Cameron has emerged "strongly" from the final leaders' debatowing the qualities required to lead the country.

0700: Bookmakers have cut the odds on a Conservative majority in next week's General Election after the third televised leaders' debate. Coral reduced the odds on a clear Tory victory to 11-8 from 7-4. Spokesman Simon Clare said: "We have taken hundreds of bets on the Tories during the debate compared to only a handful for the Liberal Democrats and not a single bet on the Labour Party. Following the Gordon Brown gaffe and another solid performance by David Cameron last night, the Conservatives go into next week's election as strong favourites to win it."

0600: The Tories unveil a "contract" being sent to millions of households in target seats in a bid to capitalise on the "momentum" generated by David Cameron's performance in the final TV debate. It sets out 16 key pledges with a message from the party leader to voters that: "If we don't deliver our side of the bargain, vote us out in five years' time."

2331: Sky News reports that Labour sources say Tony Blair will return to the campaign trail over the next few days to boost Labour.

2327: A Sky News Instant Poll puts Cameron on top with 38 per cent, Clegg has 32 per cent and Brown has 26 per cent.

2321:The Guardian ICM poll puts Cameron comfortably in first place in the debate. The Tory leader polled 35 per cent with Brown on 29 per cent and Clegg on 27 per cent.

23:17: Joey Jones, political correspondent for Sky News, noticed the Nick Clegg twice referred to the non-existent job of "vice-chancellor" during the debate. "Perhaps it was the university setting", he said. He also said the Lib Dem leader seemed uncharacteristically nervous - referring to notes during his opening speech and failing to answer the first questioner by name.

2311: An Angus Reid poll puts Cameron as the winner of the debate with 37 per cent of the vote. Clegg has 30 per cent and Brown has 23 per cent.

2308: A Times Populus poll puts Cameron and Clegg in joint first place with 38 per cent of the vote. Brown trails with 25 per cent.

2258: Despite Alastair Campbell's buoyant comments the David Wooding, associate editor (politics) for the News of the World, tweets that he told a security guard after the debate, "We've had it". However, Henry McCrory, head of press for the Tories tweeted that Campbell now claims he was referring to Burnley FC.

2248: George Osborne tells Sky News: "It was a clear win for David Cameron. Only David Cameron had an answer to how to get the economy moving and get jobs. Gordon Brown had nothing new to say. Nick Clegg came under real pressure and couldn't respond to the detailed questioning."

2240: Alastair Campbell has dismissed the poll results. "I think these instant polls tend to say what those who commission them want them to say so I tend to ignore them," he said.

"Gordon Brown was head and shoulders above the others in terms of plans for recovery, in terms of the detail and in terms of fairness. As people reflect and discuss it I believe people will begin to understand the Tories are a risk to the recovery.

"In his closing remarks he is warning that if you go with the reckless ruinous economic plan [of the Tories] you have got another recession coming down the track and it's too important to risk."

2225: Former Tory leader William Hague said on Sky news: "I think the substance and the lack of thinking of the Liberal Democrats was exposed in this debate."

On Labour he said: "They have got nothing left to say. They are now trapped on their own record ."

2222: A less conclusive poll from Comres for ITV although Cameron is still the winner. The Tories polled 35 per cent, Liberal Democrats on 33 per cent and Labour on 26 per cent.

2219: Lord Mandelson describes Gordon Brown as giving a "barnstorming performance". He added: "He was completely on top of his subject matter. He won the debate, he won the argument tonight. People are concerned about their future jobs and the economy."

2215: Early YouGov poll for The Sun says David Cameron won. He is given 41 per cent, Brown has 25 per cent and Clegg has 32 per cent. Adam Boulton, from Sky News, says he is unsurprised. He adds that the fact that Lord Mandelson was spinning in the press room twenty minutes before the end of the debate was indicative that they were "missing something". He points out that the early debates between Clegg and Cameron regarding immigration excluded Brown.

2213: Steve Richards, from the Independent, says Brown finished the debate strongly: "Brown came to life and was more urgent." AA Gill says he thought Clegg looked "petulant" during the debate. "It seemed slightly thin," he said.

2211: Michael Gove is upbeat about Cameron's performance. He says: "I think that David won this debate. I think Gordon Brown found himself relentlessly negative. Labour was the party of fear and tax increases."

2208: The Tories are querying Nick Clegg's figures on immigration. He said that 80 per cent of immigrants are from the EU. According to Theresa May ONS figures say it is actually a third.

2201: Closing statements from all three. A huge admission from Brown: "I know that if things stay as they are perhaps in eight days' time David Cameron, perhaps supported by Nick Clegg, would be in office." But he stressed that he believes that the Tories would put in place an emergency budget that would put police, schools and the NHS at risk.

Clegg says he wants "A better fairer Britain."

"Don't let anyone scare you," he says." We can change Britain for good. I can't guarantee that all the problems will be solved overnight." He emphasises that a Lib Dem government would be fair. "This is your election, he says. "This is your country. Choose the future you really want."

Cameron says: "I love this country...but we need a government that has the right values." He says he will back families and work and the economy. He says the test of the country is how we look after the most vulnerable. "If you vote Labour you will get more of the same if you vote Liberal you just get uncertainty."

2155: Cameron says that waste in government could be used in schools and refers to public servants who have set up a massage and contemplation suite using public money. "I mean, I know it's tough" he says.

2152: Cameron defends special schools and refers to being harangued by the father of a disabled boy on the campaign trail.

2151:Caught on the hop. An amusing screen grab of the leaders' bizarre podium positions.

2150: The debate moves to the funding of education and the funding of school places.

2148:John Prescott is Gordon Brown's biggest fan. He tweets that the debate is like Mastermind. "Brown's specialist subject IS the economy" he proclaims.

2146: Lord Mandelson has entered the "spin room" at the debate where press are congregated. All attention switches from Brown to him, according to David Stringer, politics correspondent for Associated Press.

2145: Following Brown's lengthy diatribe on training for young people implemented by Labour Cameron questions his statistics. "I'm not sure which country Gordon Brown thinks he is Prime Minister of", says Cameron. Cue much head-shaking and fixed grin from Brown.

2141: David Dimbleby has noticed Clegg's tendency to say the same thing twice. Returning to the Lib Dem leader he says: "This is your chance to respond not to repeat yourself."

2139: Clegg says he would incentivise people to work through tax proposals. Brown says he would "force" people to work if they have been on benefits for "some time". After six months he says young people would be "compelled" to take up work. Cameron says "if you can work and want to work we will do everything we can to help" but adds that those who refuse work cannot continue to take benefits.

2136: Question from Graham Parkin, retired, on how to prevent people from abusing the benefits system.

2133: Cameron says they would reward councils who build more homes. Clegg says empty properties in communities could be converted into homes people can live in. He also says that one-bedroom flats in cities should also be made available. Brown says shared equity is increasingly popular which the government can help with. He pledges to encourage banks to start lending again. All three leaders say they would build more homes.

2131: Anna, a mother of two and the wife of an accountant asks how the leaders will help families to buy their own homes.

2130: Clegg is getting increasingly flushed with a light sheen of sweat developing across his forehead.

2129: Cameron vs Clegg on Immigration: Cameron pledges to bring immigration down to manageable levels with only "tens of thousands" rather than hundreds of thousands entering Britain. Clegg describes Tory plans to "cap" immigration figures as giving false hope because numbers of European immigrants cannot be limited. Cameron says that Clegg's "amnesty" for illegal immigrants who have been here for ten years would be disastrous. For the first time tonight Brown says he agrees. Clegg is becoming increasingly frustrated. He says to Cameron: "Why don't we save time and say that whatever you say about our policies is wrong?" Watching the scrap with a smile Brown pronounces: "They are both wrong."

2118: Another tricky question from the audience - particularly for Brown. Bradley Russell accuses all three leaders of becoming "removed from real people especially on the subject of immigration". Iain Dale asks whether Brown would consider Mr Russell a bigot?

2116: While Brown says Tory policy will damage regional businesses and their funding Cameron repsonds that he is cutting tax for "all business". He adds that if the Conservatives win the election: "For every new business that starts up for the first ten people you take on you don't pay National Insurance."

2114: Brown targets Cameron: "If you cut investment allowances, David, and you do that to cut corporation tax for banks you are doing the opposite of what is needed now."

2111: In defence of manufacturing: Brown insists that the number of apprenticeships under Labour has trebled. Pointing at Cameron he says Tory policy would withdraw support from industry at a crucial time. Cameron meanwhile says that a quarter of government contracts should go to small firms to build the businesses of tomorrow.

2109: Clegg wheels out another Sheffield case study to illustrate the importance of manufacturing to the displeasure of the Telegraph's Christopher Hope.

2105: Brown fiercely defends bailing out the banks saying we will "recoup the value of the banks for the country".

2101: Toby Young tweets that he detects a "Bullingdon bias" in the time David Dimbleby is giving Brown and Cameron compared to Clegg. The Lib Dem is getting half the air time he says.

2059: Responding to the question of bonuses for bankers Clegg says he would rather we "give them membership to a fancy golf club" and pay a huge salary rather than incentivise bank directors with bonuses.

2058:Michael Wolff notices that Clegg's repetition of "Here they go again" is reminscent of Ronald Reagan's famous line. Alistair Campbell is not convinced.

2055: POLIS director Charlie Beckett judges that half an hour in Brown is most in control. Iain Dale on the other hand thinks it's Cameron. He says Clegg is just plain "irritating".

2052: Bill Neely tweets over the backstage battle for desks in the debate press room. The BBC has been squeezed onto school desks and the main screen has bust.

2050: Cameron attacks Brown, who said National Insurance rises would not affect those earning under £20K, as a spouting "desperate stuff" from a "desperate man".

2049: Our Whitehall correspondent Christopher Hope tweets that both Cameron and Clegg look like they are overheating under the production lights.

2048: Cameron pledges that the Tories will keep tax credits and attacks Brown for misleading voters.

2047: Brown makes a nervous reference to Bigotgate yesterday and his gaffe with Gillian Duffy. "There is a lot to this job," he says. "And as you saw yesterday I don't get all of it right."

2045: Did Gordon Brown forget to shave? Iain Dale has blogged about his "very Nixonian five o'clock shadow". Meanwhile Bill Neely from ITV remarks that the Tories have started the debate immediately attacking Clegg. Alastair Campbell goes straight to the nub of the issue and asks: "What is wrong with Cameron's chin?"

2041: Clegg meanwhile says that "regardless of who wins next week" all the chancellors of the parties should meet with the Bank of England to work out the full extent of the deficit.

2040: Cameron says: "There will have to be public sector pay freeze. It won't be popular but it's what we will have to do."

2037: "If we fail to support the economy this year we risk a double dip recession next year," says Brown.

2035: The first audience question asks for an "honest" answer to how the party leaders will cut the deficit.

2034: "I'm the one to fight for your future" says Brown.

2029: David Cameron opens the debate saying "the British economy is stuck in a rut". "With Greece so much in the news I guarantee you that I would never join the Euro and I would keep the pound as our currency."

2027: Ann Treneman, The Times political sketchwriter, says the tension at the debate is markedly different to the previous two debates. "The big spinners are here", she said.

2024: Emily Maitlis likens the atmosphere to the nervous hush of a "school disco" as the audience anticipates the start of the debate.

2022: All three party leaders have arrived at the University of Birmingham. Gordon Brown was the last to arrive with his wife Sarah Brown.

The third 90-minute debate, which will take place in the Midlands, will concentrate on the economy. It will be hosted by David Dimbleby. 7535608

The theme of the first election debate was domestic policy, including health and education, and the second focussed on international affairs.

The debates are governed by 76 complex rules, including how long leaders' have to answer questions and when the audience can applaud.

Mr Clegg is widely seen to have come off best in the first two debates, which has prompted a surge of support for the Liberal Democrats.

As in the previous two debates, the three leaders will open with a one-minute statement, then take questions. Mr Cameron will open the third debate, after Mr Clegg opened the first and Mr Brown the second.

The second half of each session will be “free debate.”

The debate, which will start at 8.30pm, will have an audience of roughly 200 people.